Small Press Expo announced its third wave of 2019 guests on Tuesday. The convention will host over 650 creators, 280 exhibitor tables, 20+ programming slots and hands-on workshops to introduce attendees to the world of independent and small press comics in September, in addition to several special guests. SPX previously announced Rosemary Valero-O’Connell, MariNaomi, Raina Telgemeier and more. The newest wave of guests includes Keith Knight, Craig Thompson, Ebony Flowers, Hannah Templer, Ben Passmore, and Lucy Knisley.

SPX takes place at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Bethesda, MD Sept. 14-15, 2019. Read on for details about these newly-announced special guests and stay tuned for more announcements.

SPX 2019: Keith KnightKeith Knight

Keith Knight, winner of the Glyph, Harvey, and Inkpot Awards, is a spectacular and amazing cartoonist whose Knight Life comic strip is read nationwide in such newspapers as the Washington Post. Knight Life was optioned for a television series and is currently under development by Hulu with the title Woke. Keef’s funny yet hard-hitting cartoons in his webcomic series, (th)ink and The K Chronicles, led him to be named one of the 2015 NAACP History Makers. Knight is the illustrator of the critically acclaimed tween book, Jake the Fake Keeps It Real. Keef has a new collection coming out this Fall called (th)ink: It’s the Racism, Stupid!

SPX 2019: Craig ThomsponCraig Thompson

Craig Thompson is a cartoonist and the author of the award-winning books Blankets; Good-bye, Chunky Rice; and Habibi. He was born in Michigan in 1975, and grew up in a rural farming community in central Wisconsin. His graphic novel Blankets won numerous industry awards and has been published in nearly 20 languages. Thompson lives in Portland, Oregon.
Now, for the first time in his career, Thompson is working in serial form, in a bimonthly comic book series. Part memoir, part travelogue, part essay—all comic book—Ginseng Roots explores class divide, agriculture, holistic healing, the 300 year long trade relationship between China and North America, childhood labor, and the bond between two brothers.

SPX 2019: Ebony FlowersEbony Flowers

Ebony Flowers was born and raised in Maryland. She holds a BA in Biological Anthropology from the University of Maryland College Park and a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she wrote her dissertation as a comic (mostly). Ebony is a 2017 Rona Jaffe Award recipient. She lives in Denver, CO. Hot Comb is her first collection of short stories published by Drawn & Quarterly.

Hot Comb offers a poignant glimpse into Black women’s lives and coming of age stories as seen across a crowded, ammonia-scented hair salon while ladies gossip and bond over the burn.

Hannah TemplerHannah Templer

Hannah Templer is a queer cartoonist and graphic designer. In addition to writing and drawing Cosmoknights (Top Shelf Productions), they are the artist for GLOW (IDW Publishing, Netflix), and have also worked as a colorist, cover artist and interior artist on well-known titles such as Samurai Jack, Tomb Raider, and Jem and the Holograms. They enjoy life with their trusty dog Thistle and grumpy cat Noodle, and play tabletop roleplaying games as often as they can.

Ben PassmoreBen Passmore

Ben Passmore lives in Philly. His comics are about crime, monsters, anarchism, sexual dysfunction, police brutality, art theory, and his feels. Creator of DAYGLOAYHOLE and Goodbye, his comic won the 2017 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Comic, as well as being nominated for an Eisner Award. His illustrations have appeared in publications including the New York Times, Irene, Now: The New Comics Anthology, and Believer Magazine. Ben contributes political/social editorial comics to The Nib, and his latest book is Bttm Fdrs with Ezra Claytan Daniels.

Lucy KnisleyLucy Knisley

Lucy Knisley is a critically acclaimed and award-winning comic creator. She lives in Chicago. She specializes in personal, confessional graphic novels and travelogues.
Her last name is confusing and has a silent K. It’s pronounced kind-of like “nigh-slee.”

For more information about SPX 2019, please visit www.smallpressexpo.com.

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